PM to lay down law on Solomons corruption

The Prime Minister, John Howard, is due to arrive here this morning to meet Australian troops and deliver a tough message to the Solomon Islands Government that it should back reforms and eliminate corruption.

It is understood that the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Sir Allan Kemakeza, who has been enmeshed in allegations of financial impropriety, will deliver a pledge to stamp out his nation's pervasive corruption.

Mr Howard is visiting in the wake of the month-long Australian-led military intervention in the country. His arrival follows a gun amnesty during which most ethnic militias and criminal groups surrendered their arms.

Military commander Lieutenant-Colonel John Frewen said he would urge Mr Howard to use the Solomons mission as a model for future interventions in the region. "There are encouraging signs that this is a good way to respond to this sort of situation in the future," he said.

Mr Howard is scheduled to hold meetings with the Solomon Islands cabinet, at which Sir Allan is expected to thank him for the intervention team's work, but warn that rebuilding law and order and seizing remaining weapons will be difficult.

Yesterday more than 5000 Solomon Islanders turned out for a display of Australian military capability and a sports carnival with the intervention force.

Military hardware was on show, with Sea King and Iroquois helicopters staging a flypast over a soccer game between locals and the mission's team.

Aside from generating goodwill, the event was also designed to convince locals that any attempts to retain weapons would be met with overwhelming force.

Anna, 25, a member of the national netball squad, said it was exciting to play sport again. Local competitions had stopped because of the collapse of law and order.

"You could not walk from practice because you were scared you would be robbed or raped," she said.

Colonel Frewen said he was overwhelmed by the positive reaction of the islanders yesterday.